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NAME

comparison - comparison statements for ALPM based packages.

DESCRIPTION

The comparison format is a version comparison format, that is used for representing version comparison statements for ALPM based packages in a composite comparison expression. This format is used in build scripts or file formats for package metadata (e.g. in PKGBUILD or PKGINFO) to describe version bounds for a package relation.

A comparison statement uses one of the following comparison operators to specify a version bound relation:

•   < (less than)

•   <= (less than or equal to)

•   = (equal to)

•   >= (greater than or equal to)

•   > (greater than)

  Composite comparison expressions

Composite comparison expressions consist of an alpm-package-name, directly followed by a comparison operator, directly followed by an alpm-package-version.

  Matching comparison expressions

Name matching is performed based on a full string match using the alpm-package-name component of the composite comparison expression.

Version comparison is performed based on components of a composite version string (see e.g. alpm-epoch, alpm-pkgver and alpm-pkgrel). As alpm-package-version offers several forms, this allows for matching a variety of scenarios.

When providing the full or full with epoch form of the alpm-package-version format, it matches exactly one specific release of a package version. When providing the minimal or minimal with epoch form of the alpm-package-version format, it matches any release of a package version.

Depending on comparison operator, the given match towards alpm-package-name and alpm-package-version is narrow (i.e. =), wide with lower bound (i.e. >, >=) or wide with upper bound (i.e. <, <=).

EXAMPLES

The below composite comparison expressions can be matched by a package named example in specific versions:

    "example<1.0.0"

A version less than ‘1.0.0’ (e.g. ‘0.8.0-1’).

    "example<=1.0.0"

A version less than or equal to ‘1.0.0’ (e.g. ‘0.8.0-1’ or ‘1.0.0-3’).

    "example<=1.0.0-1"

A version less than or equal to ‘1.0.0-1’ (e.g. ‘0.8.0-1’ or ‘1.0.0-1’, but ‘1.0.0-2’ does not work).

    "example=1.0.0"

Any version ‘1.0.0’ (e.g. ‘1.0.0-1’ or ‘1.0.0-2’, etc.).

    "example=1.0.0-1"

The version ‘1.0.0-1’.

    "example=1:1.0.0-1"

The version ‘1:1.0.0-1’.

    "example>=1.0.0"

A version greater than or equal to ‘1.0.0’ (e.g. ‘1.0.0-1’ or ‘1.1.0-1’).

    "example>1.0.0"

A version greater than ‘1.0.0’ (e.g. ‘1.1.0-1’ or ‘1:1.0.0-1’).

SEE ALSO

BUILDINFO(5), PKGBUILD(5), PKGINFO(5), alpm-epoch(7), alpm-package-name(7), alpm-package-relation(7), alpm-package-version(7), alpm-pkgrel(7), alpm-pkgver(7), vercmp(8)